[Info-vax] : Welcome to lockdown - HP limiting access to patches

[Phillip Helbig---undress to reply]

In article <4c6dc0c2$0$9311$c3e8da3 at news.astraweb.com>, JF Mezei
<jfmezei.spamnot at vaxination.ca> writes: 

> Perhaps an alternative direction would be to ask HP to give "free"
> access to patches to an organisation who could then distribute them to
> hobbyists users. Some form of authentication would be required to ensure
> that they are not distributed to commercial users.

This is definitely the way to go.  Perhaps the fine folks at Montagar 
can check this out.  I'm happy to provide any sort of infrastructure 
needed (web server, email redirection etc).  Just ask.  :-)

This might even be a good thing: let the paying customers check out the 
packages and then, say, every three months Montagar will update their 
patch site with stuff which has been shown to work.  :-)

> From HP's point of view: a VAX/Alpha customer not buying support from HP
> doesn't generate any revenue for HP.

True, unless they regularly upgrade compilers etc.

> And consider the fact that anyone still on VAX or Alpha is not so likely
> to upgrade hardware, the odds of making money from them are low. So
> cutting off access to patches may not cost HP any current or future
> customers.

I think that there are probably several folks who don't upgrade hardware 
or software (often) but like to stay reasonably current with regard to 
patches.